


prepared for the worst in a storm

by coffeewordangel



Series: tumblr drabbles [12]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: M/M, Misunderstanding, Rain, proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-28
Updated: 2016-08-28
Packaged: 2018-08-11 16:24:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7899733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coffeewordangel/pseuds/coffeewordangel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This was really just an excuse to write about an argument in a rain storm because I got caught in a lot of them on vacation. :P</p>
            </blockquote>





	prepared for the worst in a storm

It’s been five minutes since Zayn stormed outside, fuming mad with no place to go except the deserted beach in front of their vacation condo. He’s drenched from the sudden storm that started shortly before he ran out, sheets of rain so heavy and thick that he can’t see more than a few feet in front of him. The smart thing to do would be to go back inside, but that feels like letting Liam win somehow, so Zayn is just going to stand in the downpour and be pissy about not being able to smoke.

The argument itself was stupid, something about how Liam was loading the dishwasher wrong. It wasn’t the real source of Zayn’s anger, of course, but instead of being an adult and point blank asking Liam about his suspicious activity Zayn let his frustration simmer until it boiled over in an argument about trivialities instead. If he’s brutally honest with himself, he’s scared of the answers he might get if he asks the right questions.

At first it was just little things, Liam changing the password to his phone and clearing the browser history of his laptop. Then he started having hushed conversations with someone that stopped when Zayn entered the room. Liam would hurriedly say goodbye and hang up. When Zayn asked who he was talking to, Liam made up an obvious lie. Zayn doesn’t want to believe that Liam would cheat on him, but the evidence is pointing in that direction.

“Are you coming back inside?” Liam calls from the doorway.

“Fuck off,” Zayn yells back, rain streaming down his face and into his mouth.

“What the hell, Zayn?” Liam’s eyes are big and hurt and his full mouth is turned down slightly. “Come in so we can talk about this.”

Zayn furrows his brow and shakes his head, his stubborn streak digging in its heels for the long haul. Above his head lightning chases across the sky followed quickly by a loud boom of thunder. He knows that means it hit close, but he’s staying outside anyway. The raging summer storm makes him, and by extension his problems, feel small and unimportant. The wildness of it sends a rush of adrenaline through him, building in his breast like carbonation.

“Fine.” Liam sighs and steps out into the sheets of rain, becoming soaked almost immediately. His white shirt goes translucent and clings to his chest and abs appealingly, but Zayn tries very hard not to notice.

“What are you doing? Go back inside, Liam.”

“No. I’m staying out here until you tell me what’s wrong.” Liam has to shout through the rain.

“Fine. Whatever.”

Zayn’s fingers are pruning up a bit. He pushes his hair back and away from his face, tilting his face up into the deluge. It’s a warm rain and, despite its ferocity, almost feels good pelting over his skin. He steadfastly ignores Liam’s presence and his delectable body. Now is not the time to get distracted by his probably soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend’s abs.

“Come on, babe. You’re not actually mad about the dishwasher. What’s going on?” Liam’s big brown eyes are filled with concern and, despite Zayn’s righteous anger, make him feel guilty for putting that look there.

“Quit giving me that look,” Zayn yells through the rain. “I’m not the one cheating.”

“Excuse me?”

Zayn licks water off his lips and takes a deep breath. Apparently this confrontation is happening now. “You’re keeping secrets, Liam. All the conversations you don’t want me to hear? And the changed passwords and cleared browser history?”

“And the first conclusion you jumped to was that I was cheating? What the fuck, Z?”

Rain batters against the roof and patio, seeming impossibly loud in the silence between the two of them. Zayn can’t quantify how he feels right now. He’s still angry, but also guilty and slightly chastened? It’s a jumble, churning wildly in his gut, unsettled and violent.

“What was I supposed to think?” Zayn wants to mutter, but raises his voice to be heard above the ambient noise surrounding them.

Liam rolls his eyes. “You’re completely ridiculous, you know? I can’t believe I want to marry you!”

It feels like the air has been knocked out of him. “You want to what?” Zayn asks.

“I’ve been shopping for rings, you donut! And talking to your mum and dad about it! Honestly, Zayn, in what reality would I cheat on you?”

Zayn gives in to the urge to step into Liam’s space and slide a hand under the clingy shirt. He loves the feel of Liam’s skin when it’s wet, how it slides under his fingertips like silk. The truth is, he’s feeling rather stupid at the moment. He should have known better, should have trusted Liam more, but he’s so incredulous that Liam is with him at all some days. How could he have concluded that Liam wanted to _marry_ him?

“I’m sorry,” Zayn apologizes with as much sincerity as he can shove into those two words.

Liam cups Zayn’s jaw in his large palm and smiles at him. “We’re good. Just. I would never, okay?”

“Rationally I know that,” Zayn says. “But m'not always rational when it comes to you, yeah?”

“I know.” Liam rests his forehead against Zayn’s.

“So,” Zayn begins coyly. “Are you asking?”

Liam chuckles. “Are you saying yes?”

“Always.” There’s no hesitation. If there’s one thing he knows for sure, it’s that he wants Liam in his life forever.

“I was going to be real romantic about it, you know? Make a big to do. Didn’t imagine shouting at you in the rain in any of my proposal scenarios.” Liam looks more amused than anything else, so Zayn figures it’s fine.

“Love you,” Zayn tells him. He’s more grateful than he can ever express that Liam just rolls with his mood shifts the way he does.

“I love you too,” Liam responds immediately.

Liam closes the small gap between them, pressing his lips firmly to Zayn’s. He swipes his tongue over Zayn’s lower lip, dipping teasingly between them. Liam’s mouth feels searing against his, slick heat in direct contrast to the fat drops of lukewarm rain hitting his cheeks and forehead and catching in his lashes. It seems like steam should be rising off their skin.

“Can we go inside now?” Liam asks.

Zayn smirks up at him. “And give up the chance to suck you off in the rain? No way.”


End file.
